M.F. Husain planning comedy film with Vidya Balan

This will be his third movie after Gajagamini and Meenaxi.

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PTI

Thiruvananthapuram

July 11, 2010

UPDATED: July 11, 2010 17:38 IST

Renowned painter M.F. Husain is set to direct a comedy film with Vidya Balan, his latest muse, in the lead role.

"The first scene of the film is expected to be shot when Divya comes to London in September," Husain, who has earlier directed Gajagamini with Madhuri Dixit and Meenaxi starring Tabu, said in an interview to the week-end edition of Kerala Kaumudi daily from London.

"Gajagamini was a classical movie. Meenaxi dealt with a contemporary theme. Now I have in mind a comedy film as my third cinema," the Indian artist, who a few months back accepted citizenship of Qatar, said.

Husain said he was also engaged in doing a series of paintings on 100 years of Indian cinema besides the work on Arabian and Indian civilizations.

"Indian cinema will be celebrating its century in 2011. My work will be recreating the yester years as paintings. I also wish to set up a museum for film paintings either in Mumbai or in Kerala, a favorite place of mine," Husain said.

On eminent film-maker Shaji N Karun's plan to do docu-movie on him, the 94-year-old artiste said he was sure that Shaji would do justice to his project.

"Several producers and directors from Bollywood had approached me with the idea. But I took it as an honour when Shaji called me with the proposal," he said.

On questions on leaving India, Husain said, "I have been a traveler for the 60 years. I don't have a studio of my own anywhere in the world. Wherever I stay, I will be completing my work. In am like a folk artist from India."

"Though Pablo Picasso was Spanish, he spent much of his artistic life in Paris. But he continues to be known as a Spanish painter. I can draw pictures wherever I live. But I will remain an Indian painter. Why should you draw border lines. My wish is that I should be of the whole world and not just that of a particular country," he added.

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